# How have Uber and Lyft affected the old-style taxi companies?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-have-uber-and-lyft-affected-the-old-style-taxi-companies/1034366>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 3, 2026, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-have-uber-and-lyft-affected-the-old-style-taxi-companies/1034366 "2026-11-03T04:35:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2026, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-have-uber-and-lyft-affected-the-old-style-taxi-companies/1034366/21 "2026-11-03T17:27:36Z")

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Roughly 3 years ago we spent a couple days in Rome pre-cruise. While I had prebooked private limos from/to the airport, I found that Uber/Lyft were not widespread there for intra-city trips

It could be because of local laws, but I was pleasantly shocked (is that possible?) at how affordable the standard white taxis were, like €10 for a ~30 minute ~20 mile trip.

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [November 3, 2026, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-have-uber-and-lyft-affected-the-old-style-taxi-companies/1034366/22 "2026-11-03T20:21:33Z")

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In London there are also two kinds of taxi with similar rules. The traditional black cab (which may come in any colour these days) can ply for hire, and you can flag one down in the street.

The others are classed as “private hire”, which means that they can only serve prebooked customers. This category includes Uber and many small companies. Back in the 60s we had minicabs. Originally, they were small cars, but the idea soon caught on with many operators jumping on the bandawaggon.

Rivalry was serious, with all kinds of dirty tricks played. I recall a driver trapped in a telephone box with his car against the door until someone came to let him out (no mobile phones then). Phoning for a ride from somewhere out of the way was another common ploy. Many minicabs were unlicenced and not insured for the work.

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